


Family Values

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 1D Louis - Freeform, But not Liam, Child Louis, Child Niall, Cute Niall, Hospital, Illness, Jealous Louis, Kidfic, Kidney failure, Niall's not in 1D, Niall-centric, Oldest Louis, Sad Louis, Younger Niall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-29
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-04-28 19:42:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5103326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"But why is it taking so long?" Louis whined, hands flaunting around dramatically. He loved his kid brother, he really did, but their was only so much patience an eight year old boy could hold. He missed having someone to play with and, if he's being honest, Louis kind of missed having his mum there the whole time. He knew Daddy always had to go to work because Mammy couldn't go because she stayed with Niall, and sometimes when Niall was extra sick, Mammy was late to pick Lou up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Values

"Mama?" Eight year old Louis stood on his toes, looking over the top of the counter of the kitchen worktop. Jessica Hardy looked over at her oldest son and ruffled his feathery brown hair.

"What's up baby?" She asked, lifting her abnormally small son up onto her hip. Louis giggled as she kissed his nose and got the flour from her apron on his sweater.

"When is Ni coming home?" He asked, excitement rolling off of him in waves. Laura smile immediately faltered as she thought of her baby boy. Her beautiful boy with his blonde hair and cerulean blue eyes that showed all the pain he was going through in a daily basis. Niall's life was never easy, ever since he was born. When he was about six months old, Niall caught an awful bad lung infection, and was on antibiotics for a month. Unfortunately, the ingestion of these medicines caused Niall's kidney to start to fail a month late and he was diagnosed with acute renal failure. He was now two years old and the doctors were cautiously optimistic that he was getting better. It still was hard for Jess though, seeing her baby boy whimpering in pain everyday  as he lay on the crisp white hospital bed, needles adorning his body as he had his dialysis treatment. Hopefully Niall would be better soon and this would all be over, but for now all Jessica and her husband Ethan could do was pray.

"Lou baby..." She started, voice hesitant, "So, remember I told you that we wouldn't be bringing Niall home for a while yet, yea?" Louis nodded, a slight pout on his face.

"But why is it taking so long?" Louis whined, hands flaunting around dramatically. He loved his kid brother, he really did, but their was only so much patience an eight year old boy could hold. He missed having someone to play with and, if he's being honest, Louis kind of missed having his mum there the whole time. He knew Daddy always had to go to work because Mammy couldn't go because she stayed with Niall, and sometimes when Niall was extra sick, Mammy was late to pick Lou up.

"Hopefully it won't be too long now baby." Jessica said, stroking Louis' hair softly as she placed him sitting on the counter. "It's just unfortunate that this illness decided to place itself in Niall."

"But why did it Mama?"

"I don't know Lou. Maybe it's just that God decided Nialler would be strong enough to handle it." She said, placing one final kiss on Louis' forehead before going back to decorating her cupcakes.

**  
A now eighteen year old Louis adjusted his ear piece as the person in a black uniform informed him that it was time to go back onstage for the encore. Louis smiled and nodded, and he started reflecting on all he had accomplished since 'One Direction' started a mere year ago. He had been put in a group on the X-Factor with three other boys, Liam, Harry and Zayn, and together they were taking the world by storm. Tonight was his last show in Ireland, so that meant it was also his last home show. His mum, Jessica, had told him that her, his dad, Ethan and his twelve year old brother Niall would all be attending the concert tonight, and that just made Louis more pumped up and energetic then ever! The boys had all met his family when they were still in the live shows of the competition, but they didn't know the hardships the small family had faced in its early days. 

Louis ran out and stage and met his band mates again, as they got ready to sing their final song of the night. Liam smiled at Louis while Harry winked at him. Zayn just nodded his head slightly and smiled such a small smile that it was unidentifiable to the untrained eye (a.k.a. Anyone who wasn't a band member or family). Harry started into the first verse of 'Best Song Ever' and they sang their hearts out until the last line.

"Thank you Dublin, you've been awesome!" Louis yelled as they ran off the stage of Croke Park. "Dudes, that was sick!"

"I know right?" Harry laughed. "The audience was so pumped!" 

"So Louis, when are we seeing your family?" Just as Zayn spoke these words, Louis felt himself being enveloped in a massive hug.

"Lou!" Niall said, hugging his brother tightly. Louis quickly lifted Niall up, and spun him, causing laughter to emit from his band mates and his parents to shake their heads fondly. Louis put his hand under Niall's chin and lifted it slightly, examining his facial features. His blue eyes and blonde hair were still the same as always, but he seemed paler then usual, and he had a small rash on his cheeks. With most people, that wouldn't be such a big deal, probably just a slight allergy or something, but Louis was always taught, since Niall was about one, to know how to detect symptoms of kidney failure. And sure, this could be absolutely nothing but Louis knew he should tell his parents anyone. Thankfully, Louis heard Liam ask Niall whether he would like to check out to band equipment.

"You coming Louis?" Zayn asked as Harry, Liam, Niall and him walked out of the dressing room.

"It's fine, I'll catch up!" He called out as they left. Then he turned to face his parents. "How's Niall?" He asked, looking them straight in the eyes.

Laura sighed, she hadn't expected anything less coming from Louis. Niall did have the most severe acute renal failure that had ever been seen in Ireland when he was younger, so it was no surprise Louis became so overprotective. And Niall, just because he was so sweet and innocent, didn't notice a thing and just assumed this was normal behaviour between siblings. 

"He's been okay Lou." Ethan started, "But your mother and I have been contemplating taking him to the doctor." Ethan saw the heartbroken look starting to appear and Louis' face and quickly went to reassure him. "It's just for a slight fever that won't go away. I'm sure it's nothing Lou." 

"Alright" Louis said sceptically, "But if anything happens, I mean anything at all, call me and te-"

"Of course we will Louis, darling. Don't worry."

Louis sighed in relief and hugged his parents before deciding to give them a tour of their backstage area.

**  
"Bye Nialler!" Louis' three band mates called out, Harry ruffling Niall's blonde hair. 

"See ye all soon." Louis said hugging Niall while giving his mother a kiss on the cheek. When he finished doing that, his father pulled him in for a hug. They were all quite an affectionate family, so this was normal for them.

"Bye!" The four boys called out as the Hardy's car drove off. 

"I love your family." Liam said as they walked back inside. "You guys are so nice and normal."

"It's like you guys don't have a care in the world." Harry said, thinking about his parents divorce.

"Yea," Louis said, eyes staring at the ground. "Without a care in the world."

**  
Louis was recording his verse in 'Perfect' when he heard Liam's voice over the mic. "Sorry for interrupting Lou, but your Ma is on the phone. She said it was urgent." 

Louis felt all the colour draining from his face as he walked out of the studio and answered the phone. "Mam?"

"Oh Lou!" Louis could hear the obvious sound of his mother crying and her voice was more panicked then he had ever heard it. "You've got to come home, it's Niall, his kidneys are both gone again a-and,". Laura only got that far before she broke into sobs, and this alarmed Louis more then anything, as his mother had always been the family's strong rock.

"Shh, it's okay Mam. Just tell me what happened." Louis reassured. 

"Okay, um, It started off when Niall told me he couldn't pee all day but just as he finished he started vomiting over and over again. I freaked out obviously, but your father had the car so I said I'd wait until he was home in an hour. About ten minutes before your father was due to come home, Niall started shaking and suddenly he was in a full blown seizure. I called an ambulance and they brought him to the hospital, and they had him in there, alone, for like, four hours. Now, they told us that his kidneys are both failing." Laura's voice was getting quieter and quieter as she told Louis her story, and Louis could barely hear her say the next line. "Lou, they don't think he'll survive the night."

Louis felt tears run down his face as his mother talked to him. "I'll be there as soon as I can Mam." Louis quickly ran in to talk to management, who knew all about Niall, and they told Louis they'd get Paul to drive him to the airport as quick as possible so he could get on their private jet. 

He was getting in the car when Zayn, Harry and Liam approached him. "Hey Lou! Where you going?"

"Just get in and I'll explain." Louis said, rushing the boys into the car. As soon as they hopped in, Louis quickly explained the situation.  The boys were awfully sad when they heard about young Niall, who they had all become acquaintances with over the last few years. They told Louis that they were going with him and that was final. 

**  
"Niall Hardy's room please." Louis asked the receptionist, who sent him up to the paediatric intensive care unit. The boys thanked her before running up the stairs and straight to intensive care, where they found Niall's room, ICU6. They knocked on the door, and heard a raspy, male voice call out "Come in."

The boys stepped inside to find Ethan Hardy sitting beside his sons bed, holding his hand while Laura was silently crying beside him. Niall was lying pale on the bed, his eyes slightly open but an unseeing glaze over them. He had several different IVs in, and he looked more grey then anything else.

Louis went over to his mam and hugged her, wrapping her small frame in his arms. "How is he Mam?" He asked, frightened to here to answer. 

"They don't think his body will even hold up for another hour Lou." She said softly. 

The other boys just walked over to Ethan and started talking to him quietly, occasionally sneaking glances at Niall or at Louis and Laura. 

It was about twenty minutes later when Niall suddenly jerked up, and crimson blood leaked from his mouth. Alarms started beeping and a couple of nurses ran in and quickly started tampering with Niall.

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave." One nurse told them, leading them out slowly. 

"Please no, let me stay with my baby!" Laura begged, holding onto Louis' sleeve. She couldn't stay though, and they were escorted out of the room. Laura sat on the car outside and started crying harder then she had every cried before. Louis was holding onto his mother, sobbing his heart out. Ethan tried to be strong for his family, but he couldn't help but let a few tears slip out. Zayn, Liam and Harry just sat there, staring silently at the door. 

It was five minutes later when the same nurse came out, and shook her head sadly. "I'm, I'm so sorry." 

Louis just shook his head. This wasn't happening. It wasn't. His brother was still alive. There was no way his baby brother was dead.

Except he was. 

And nothing would ever be the same again.


End file.
